《Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?》安卓梦见电子羊吗思维后的疑问

"The old man said, You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe."

The setting is incredibly vast. The suspenseful and thrilling atmosphere created in the middle is well-executed, with great buildup. However, the ending left me puzzled. I feel like there is so much more to explore regarding the concepts of the friendly buster show, Mercerism, and the empathy box.

"What makes human human," in other words, what defines humanity? It seems that nine out of ten science fiction authors would delve into this question. When humans lose empathy or degenerate, losing the ability to perceive things and generate emotions, relying on empathy boxes to experience others feelings, and using mood organs and chemicals to artificially synthesize the emotions they need, can they still be considered human?

Furthermore, humans even require stimulants to help themselves feel basic emotions. When their own emotions are somehow manipulated, will they still genuinely care for animals, as Mercerism claims (which is also a characteristic that distinguishes humans from androids in this worldview)? However, people show off and indulge in vanity, even if they have synthetic animals instead of real ones. The desire for social status and envy never fades, even with emotional detachment. Keeping animals as pets has become more of a social norm and a symbol of class, but who knows how much genuine empathy exists within it?

Of course, Mercerism is just one faction or belief within the human camp. The confrontation between Friendly Buster Show and Mercer, as conveyed through Andys words, is a highlight for me, second only to the interactions between the three Andys and Isidore.